Best BBQ grills from Consumer Reports

Mouthwatering burgers and sizzling steaks are probably the first things that come to mind when you think of grilling. But Americans are also firing up their grills to cook vegetables, fruits, pizza, and even pancakes and eggs.

So which grills are the best? We spent months cooking salmon, grilling chicken, and searing steaks on 46 gas grills. Our tests revealed recommended models that cost between $200 and $700.

We also found a few duds. Want a grill that shows you're rooting for the home team? The Team Grill Patio Series Pro bears the colors and logo of your favorite team. But our tests found that the $800 Pro is a pricey rookie that cooked unevenly and had a low overall score of 45. The futuristic-looking Solaire, $1,800, also cooked unevenly—which means lots of shuffling food around to avoid uncooked portions.

Small-sized and portable grills

View gallery

.

Char-Broil Red

Infrared is growing more common even among the smallest free-standing models, which cost about $150 to $500 and fit 10 to 15 burgers. The Char-Broil Red Patio 46325021 costs $270 and offers infrared searing on its main burner. Besides very even cooking at high and low temperatures, it also outdid larger grills when it came to low-temperature cooking. Portable grills to go typically lack features common on larger models, such as multiple main burners, stainless construction, and side burners. They’re also less convenient to use. But for tight spaces or tailgating, they can be all you need. The Weber Q 200 396002, $200, was the best-performing portable, and you can add a cart for use as a free-standing unit.

Medium-sized grills

The most popular size, these cost $200 to $900 on average and fit 16 to 30 burgers. Our top picks range in price from the Brinkmann 810-8410S, $200, to the top-rated Weber Genesis E320, $700. Both were among the best at cooking evenness. Two other recommended models, from Char-Broil and Kenmore, have infrared for searing meats at the main burner.

Large-sized grills

View gallery

.

Weber Genesis E320

Looking to grill for a gang? These crowd-pleasers cost $300 to $1,000 or more and can fit 30 or more burgers. All those we recommended have stainless-steel or coated cast-iron grates and side burners. The Brinkmann 810-1575-W, sold at Walmart, has five main burners and an infrared rotisserie. At $380, it costs less than most grills this size. The Char-Broil Commercial Quantum 463247310, $500, offers infrared cooking, which uses heated surfaces to radiate intense heat to food, not the air, making it good for searing. For Ratings of more than 40 BBQ grills tested, subscribe to ConsumerReports.org.